The Benue state government has urged the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Ibrahim Idris, to resign his position for incompetence and for allegedly taking side with killer herdsmen.

This was made known in a statement issued in reaction to the alleged claim by the IGP that the killings in Benue was instigated by the state’s grazing law.

Chief Press Secretary to Governor Samuel Ortom, Terver Akase, signed the statement on behalf of the state government.

The statement reads in part: “We read statements credited to the Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris as having blamed the recent killing of innocent Benue people by herdsmen on the Open Grazing Prohibition and Ranches Establishment Law of the state.

“We thought that the IGP was misquoted and expected the police authorities to issue a rebuttal to the reports hence our delay in responding swiftly.

“Consequently, we have to respond to the erroneous impression which the reports have created.

“Indeed it was these unrelenting spate of attacks that prompted the people of the state to seek a permanent solution to the incessant clashes between farmers and herders hence the law for the establishment of ranches as the best method of animal husbandry across the globe.

“The law which has constitutional backing followed due process with the requisite public hearings and inputs from various stakeholders. The police authorities had ample opportunity to also make input while the process was ongoing. They however failed to do so.

“The unfortunate claim by the IGP indicates that some of those saddled with the responsibility of protecting lives and property as well as maintaining law and order have abdicated their duty and become accomplices with those undermining the very existence of the country. This is shameful.

“If truly the IGP said what was widely reported by the media, our conclusion is that his is a clear case of a man who is either on a mission to mislead the nation or is complicit in the attacks on Benue communities and the killing of many people by terror herdsmen.”

“If the Inspector General of Police, Mr Idris is not competent to help bring an end to the invasion and killing of innocent people in Benue and other states by herdsmen, the noble thing to do is to resign instead of twisting facts to suit his objective,” it reads.